Automatic switch.



PATBNTED DB0. 26.1905.

J. M. COMER. AUTOMATIC SWITCH. APPLICATION FILED APR.27,1905.

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JOSEPH M. COMER, OF SEATTLE, WVASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR TO THE COMER AUTOMATIC SWITCH CO., OF SEATTLE, 1V ASHINGTON, A CORPORA- TION OF VASHINGTON.

AUTOMATIC SWiTCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Appiiaaon flied Aprii 27,1905. smi No. 257,779.

T0 all whom, it muy concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH M. COMER, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of the city of Seattle, in the county of King and State of I/Vashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Switches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in switches, having more particular reference to electrically-controlled mechanism for throwing the switch point or tongue; and the primary object thereof is to improve and simplify such mechanisms.

With the above and other objects in view, as set forth in the following, description, the invention consists of the parts, arrangement, and combinations of parts hereinafter referred to and defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views, Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section of a portion ofthe track-bed, taken at the switch and shows my improved switchoperating mechanism in relative position with the casing thereof in section. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the mechanism, the casing therefor being removed. Fig. 3 is a plan view showing a portion of the track and my improved switch-throwing apparatus in place. Fig. 4 is a plan view, on an enlarged scale, of the switch-point and the mechanism immediately associated therewith and illustrating diagrammatically the signal-light circuits. Fig. 5 is a detail view in perspective, showing the make-and-break means of the signal-light circuits 5 and Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the road-bed and of the switch provided with my improvements.

Reference-numeral 10 indicates the main rails of an electric line, 11 the branch rails, and 12 the switch-tongue, which is mounted for pivotal movement. Secured to the under face of the switch-tongue and at a suitable distance from its pivoted end is a pin 13, to which is pivoted a rod 14. This rod projects through the adjacent branch rail 1 1 and is slidably mounted in a housing 15, and a cross-head 16 is loosely mounted on rod 14, said cross-head being provided with an elongated laterally-extending slot 17 for a purpose hereinafter referred to.

The cross-head 16 is adapted to be operated by suitable mechanism described in the following, and in order that the movement imparted thereto will be transmitted to the rod 14 I arrange on said rod coil-springs 18, whichare confined against the opposite sides of said cross-head by adjustable nuts 19, which have screw-threaded engagement with said rod, so that the tension of the respective springs can be regulated at Will. By this construction the springs yieldingly connect said cross-head to rod 14, and should any obstruction, as dirt or the like, accumulate between the sides of the switch-tongue and the adjacent rail the cross-head can be moved against spring action irrespective of the block of the switch-tongue. The mechanism for operating the cross-head comprises a vertically-disposed crank-shaft 20, which is rotatably supported in a suitable boX or casing 21 mounted beneath housing 15, and this shaft is provided on its upper end with a crank-pin 22, which engages in the slot 17 of the cross-head, said crank-pin being arranged at a suitable radius to move the cross-head a suitable distance to throw the switch-tongue each time the crank-shaft is turned one-half of a complete revolution.

Reference-numeral 23 indicates a horizontally-disposed rotatably-mounted drivingshaft which is coupled to the crank-shaft 2O by differential gearing consisting of a bevelpinion 24, fixed to the crank-shaft, and a bevel-wheel 25, meshing with said pinion and being fixed to said drive-shaft. The driveshaft is operated by pawl-and-ratchet mechanism, including a ratchet-wheel 26, fixedly mounted thereon, and a pair of links 27 and 2S, pivoted at their outer ends to fixed means and having their contiguous ends pivotally connected by a link 29. Link 27 carries a spring-pressed pawl 30, which is related to said ratchet-wheel, and a stop or momentum arrester 3], consisting of an angular arm which is adapted to engage in suitable notches in a wheel 32, fixed to the drive-shaft to check said shaft after it has been actuated by pawl 30.

The switch-throwing mechanism is arranged for operation by electricity, which is applied through the 'medium of attracting electromagnets 33, arranged above armature 34, mounted on the link 2 8. These electromag- IOO IOS

nets are electrically connected with the rails of the track, so that the current which drives the cars can be utilized to energize the magnets, and as now considered suitable, opposite sections 10 of the track, lying forward of the switch, are insulated, and electric-conductor wires 35 are connected to the rail-sections and to the electromagnets.

In operation, as the electric car approaches the switch from the left of Fig. 3 and it is desired to throw the switch the motorman allows the car to pass over the rail -sections 10 with the electric current turned on. The magnets are thereby energized by the current passing from the car through the rails and the wires 35 and act simultaneously to attract the armature on link 2S, and thereby insure a quick and powerful action of the lever, which swings upwardlylink 27 and causes pawl 30 to rotate the drive-shaft 23 through the medium of ratchet-wheel 26. This movement of the drive-shaft is communicated to crank-shaft 2O through the differential gearing, said crank-shaft being rotated one-half of a complete revolution and advancing the cross-head 16 to shift rod 14, as heretofore set forth. When the car leaves the insulated rail-sections, the electric current will be cut off from the electromagnets, and the links 27 and 28 will then fall by gravity, leaving the switch-tongue at rest until it is again operated. The crank-shaft is prevented from backward movement by springpressed pawl 36, which successively engages the opposite notches of ratchet-wheel 37, secured to said crank-shaft. (See Figs. 1 and 2.)

For night-service l provide electric lamps, which act as signals to inform the motorman of the position of the switch-tongue, these lamps (indicated at 38 and 38) being mounted in any desired manner at opposite sides of the track, and one or the other is always burning, this depending on the position of the switch-tongue. Thus, if the switchtongue is in the position shown in the drawings circuit A is closed and the lamp 38 is consequently burning. by the circuit-closer or knife 39, secured to rod 14 and movable between contacts 40. Another knife 41 is also secured to rod 14 and operates in a similar manner with respect to a pair of contacts 42 of a circuit B, in which the lamp 38 is arranged. In these circuits A and l5, l arrange batteries, (indicated at 43.) lt will be obvious, however, that the electric current can be supplied in other ways Without departing from the spirit of my invention.

To prevent the switch-throwing mechanism from freezing, l arrange therein a plurality of electric heaters 44, to which electricity is preferably supplied from the overhead trolley-wire.

The housing 15 andcasing 21 canbeformed of any desirable material, and the particular This circuit is closed form and arrangement of the knives or circuit-closers 39 and 41 and the contacts 40 and 42 can be readily varied when found desirable. The circuit-closers are, however, insulated from the rod 14, the same fitting on a sleeve 45 of insulating material, and said contacts are insulated from the housing 15, as shown.

The casing 21 is preferably mounted in a pit having walls of cement orthe like, and a suitable drain-pipe 50 is adapted to convey any water from said casing, as is obvious.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States of America,

1. In a switch-operating device of the nature indicated, the combination with the swingingly-mounted switch-tongue, a rod pivotally connected to said switch-tongue, a cross-head slidable on said rod and having a yielding connection therewith said crosshead having a slot, and means for reciprocating said cross-head including a shaft having a crank-pin engaging in the slot of said crosshead.

2. In a switch-operating device of the nature indicated, the combination with the swingingly-mounted switch-tongue, of means for swinging said switch-tongue including a pair of meshing gears, a ratchet-Wheel movable in unison therewith, a pawl adapted to successively engage the teeth of said ratchetwheel means for operating the pawl comprising a pair of links pivoted together at their contiguous ends and having their outer ends pivoted to fixed means, an armature on one of said links, and electromagnetic means for attracting the armature upwardly.

3. In a switch-operating mechanism of the nature indicated, the combination with the swingingly-mounted switch-tongue, a crankshaft operatively connected thereto for swinging the same, a gear on said shaft, a second shaft, a gear on the said second shaft meshing with said first gear, ratchet and notched wheels secured to the last-named shaft, a swinging means carrying a pawl for engagement with said ratchet-Wheel, a stop secured to said means for engagement in the notches of said notched wheel, and means for swinging said means.

4. In a switch-operating device of the nature indicated, the combination with the swingingly-mounted switch-tongue, a housing, a rod connected to said switch-tongue and being mounted in said housing for bodilysliding movement, independent electric circuits having lamps therein and provided with contacts arranged in said housing, and circuit make-and-break means secured to said rod for engagement with the contacts of said circuits.

5. In a switch-operating device of the nature indicated, the combination with the IOO IIO

swingingly-mounted switch-tongue, of means for swinging said switch-tongue including a pair of meshing gears, a ratchet-wheel movable in unison therewith, a pawl, means for operating the pawl so as toV intermittently operate the ratchet-wheel, said means comprising a pair of links pivotally connected together at their contiguous ends having their outer ends pivoted to fixed means, an armature secured to one of said links, and means to elevate said links consisting in its entirety of electromagnetic means arranged above said armature for attracting the same.

6. In a switch-operating mechanism of the nature indicated, the combination with the swingingly-mounted switch-tongue, a crankshaft operatively connected thereto for swinging the same, a gear on said shaft, a second shaft, a gear on the second shaft meshing with said first gear, ratchet and notched wheels secured to the last-named shaft, a swinging means comprising a pair of links pivotally connected together at their contiguous ends and having their outer ends pivoted to fixed means, a pawl carried by said swinging means for-engagement with said ratchetwheel, a stop secured to said swinging means for engagement in the notches of said notched wheel, and means for operating said swinging means.

Signed at Seattle, Washington, this 13th day of April, 1905.

' JOSEPH M. COMER.

` VYitnesses:`

JOHN FRANcrs MoLEAN, STEPHEN A. BRooKs. 

